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This study explored the perceptions of education stakeholders on education of school girls after pregnancy in secondary schools in Tanzania, A case of selected secondary schools in Dodoma region. The study was conducted in Dodoma city and Chamwino District in Dodoma Region. It involved a total of 80 participants who were composed of 60 pupils, 6 heads of schools, 6 board members, 4 parents and 4 ward education officers. The study employed: purposive sampling and simple random sampling to obtain participants. Furthermore, the study employed a cross sectional survey design through qualitative approach and some sort of triangulation of data where semi-structured interview, focus group discussions and documentary review were employed for data collection. Data were analyzed by basing on the themes and resulted into the emergence of different subthemes. The study findings revealed that education stakeholders had varied perceptions on the education of pregnant school girls in secondary schools. On the one hand, retention of these girls was a sign of indiscipline contempt and on the other hand, expulsion was seen as a denial of education right to these girls. Likewise the study found different socio-cultural factors influencing the expulsion of pregnant schools girls including presence of school rules and regulations, avoiding destruction of school reputations as well as fear of influencing immoral behaviour (early sexual practices) to the rest of the girls in these schools. Moreover, the study revealed notable effects of the decision to ban school girl mothers from readmission in their lives such as loss of education right, humiliation and discrimination, prostitutions and dependants as well as increase in poverty amongst these girls. Furthermore, different strategies which were relevant to the needs of pregnant school girls in the community were also revealed. |
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